Request ID: FOI-1031-2324 Date published: 21 July 2023
You asked
According to this report on London's e-scooter trials: p-7 https://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-e-scooter-rental-trial-interim-findings-acc.pdf
"Mode shift away from cars and taxi and private hire vehicles was 6.5%. The majority of trips replaced journeys that would otherwise have been made on foot or by cycle."
Question: Of the 93.5% of e-scooter trips that would have otherwise been made by public transport, on foot or by cycle, what percentage of these trips would have been made across each of the three categories? (public transport/walking/cycling)
(Have already asked press office who asked me to submit FOI)
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1031-2324
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 3rd July 2023 asking for information about the e-scooter trial.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
"Mode shift away from cars and taxi and private hire vehicles was 6.5%. The majority of trips replaced journeys that would otherwise have been made on foot or by cycle."
Question: Of the 93.5% of e-scooter trips that would have otherwise been made by public transport, on foot or by cycle, what percentage of these trips would have been made across each of the three categories? (public transport/walking/cycling)”.
I can confirm that we hold the information you require.
The full breakdown of mode shift percentages away from other transport modes to rental e-scooter journeys is as follows:
47% Walking 24.5% Public Transport 8.25% Cycling 7.5% New Journeys 6.5% Cars, Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles 6.25% Unknown
This data was collected through post-ride surveys conducted between June 2022 and November 2022. The data was collected from two operators randomly at the end of a user’s ride and was optional to complete. Riders were asked: ‘If you had not used an e-scooter/ e-bike just now, what would you have used instead?”. There were 14,402 responses to this question.
Please note the following in interpreting the results:
The question refers to the user’s immediate last trip. Someone replacing a cycle trip for rental e-scooter has not necessarily stopped cycling in favour of e-scooters; the e-scoter trip may have been a one-off.
The question is binary and does not take account the multi-modal nature of most journeys. A user stating shift from public transport may have swapped out one trip stage for e-scooter, and still used public transport as part of that wider journey.
Whilst shift from walking is the largest proportion, all e-scooter users walk to get to/from an e-scooter bay to start/end their journey
The majority of the boroughs currently participating in the trial are within inner London where there is better access to public transport and where people are less likely to own a car. We are also hoping to increase the parking density of the trial. There is therefore the potential for mode shift away from private vehicles to increase as the trial progresses.
More general information about the trial can be found on our website via the following link:
If this is not the information you are looking for please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
